Tickets and Passports

I’ll take a holiday far away…

There’s certainly something to jetlag. I’m just now starting to feel ‘back to normal’, which translates to just tired every day, not exhausted. But it was worth the fatigue! We had a great time.

After a grueling airline experience (another post) we arrived at the airport in Amsterdam. Bryce stood at the gate greeting us with a hand drawn Texas flag! What a sweetie!

Bryce welcomed us to Germany with a Texas flag!

We grabbed the luggage and headed to a store for a snack. With sandwich and suitcase in tow we found the rental and the adventure began. It was a station wagon, which was funny because when the kids were little they played some weird game about station wagons. Most kids play strange car games with VW Beetles, but not mine. Anyway, as we were driving, if we saw a station wagon, the person spotting the car would say “Station wagon alert!” I still don’t know exactly what that means but I think we all said it as we loaded the vehicle.

I was worn-out but I didn’t want to miss anything so I tried to stay awake and look around as much as I could as I settled in the back seat. Alan, not so much. He was reclined and snoring almost as soon as we left the parking lot! We were on the way to Hamburg.

Highway scenery is much the same in Germany as it is in the states. It just seems to flash by at a much faster rate!

Scenery along the way.

An import. Chevrolet Camaro!

A corn field where the corn as tall as the eaves on the barn.

Cattle grazing in the field.

Hay field with fresh mown hay.

Perhaps that’s because there isn’t really a posted speed limit on the Autobahn. Speed limits do apply at intersections or somewhere to be cautious like a construction zone. Generally, the Autobahn only has an advisory speed limit of 130 kilometers per hour (81 mph) in some spots and no limit at all in others. Staying with the flow of traffic had us practically airborne.

No speed limit.

I  was in the backseat, tending to my knitting which keeps me from grasping the ‘oh shit’ bar and clawing the windows when the driving makes me nervous.

Don't look, just knit!

As we were driving I noticed a sign. It said “Ausfahrt”. It was blue, with white lettering and was shaped with a point on one end, looking to me like an arrow.

Exit? Ausfahrt is a lot more fun to say!

Of course, just saying the word as I thought it would be in English immediately made me laugh. Think what "aus" and "fahrt" would break down to. Wouldn’t you laugh too? As we came upon another sign saying the same thing, I chuckled silently to myself. Passing still another sign I decided it must be pointing the way to a German town, probably a stinky German town, and giggled some more. Finally I said it out loud and asked Bryce just what it meant. Actually vocalizing it, with a Texas accent made us all laugh out loud. Then Bryce told us it just meant ‘Exit’. Prime example of lost in translation.

After dozing for a while it was time for a rest stop. We pulled off the road to a convenience store to use the restroom and to replenish the snacks. Before I went in Bryce explained that there weren’t any ‘free’ restrooms. There was a charge of .70€, about $1.00, to use the facilities. But you did get a voucher back which was .50€ that you could use in the store.

Vouchers to use in the convenience store after you pay to go to the bathroom.

Well, it wasn’t what I was used to but he had the right coins so I headed in to do what we stopped for. All went well and I did what you’re supposed to do when you finish and prepared to flush. I didn’t have my glasses on and sadly, I can’t read a thing without them. There was a divided button on the wall that I figured was meant for flushing so I pushed it. In some hotels I’ve occupied, there have been split buttons for flushing. One part is supposed to be for “number 1” and the other for “number 2”. I thought it might be the same. Instead, a square object came out, the toilet seat started to rotate and it was cleaned for the next person. Well, that was all good but it still hadn’t flushed. I pushed again, and because I couldn’t see, managed to press the same spot. The square piece, which I figured out was some sort of squeegee, came out, the toilet seat rotated and it was double clean for the next person. But it was still not flushed. So, concentrating this time, I managed to push in the right place and finally got the job done. I definitely had the cleanest seat in the place by the time I managed to flush the toilet!

We were soon on our way without further adventure. We arrived in Hamburg and found Bryce’s flat. It had been a long day. We were hungry and tired. We headed out for food, another post. Stay tuned!

Hamburg, Germany, officially known as Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,  gets its name from the first castle built on the site, as per the orders of Emperor Charlemagne in 808 AD.

The intersection of Bryce's flat.

I’ll run until the end of the time 
The second hand slowly unwinds… 

Remember a month ago (wow, a whole month since I posted?) when I told you about the scarf exchange and showed you the pictures of the scarf I made? Well, I sent it off with a couple of other surprises and it got to Caroline. She said she loves it! I’m so relieved.

Caroline took a picture of her scarf package.

And while I was gone I got my scarf from my friend Beverly. It’s beautiful. It’s the Easy Drop Stitch Scarf. It’s made of Ella Rae Lace Merino, a yummy superwash fingering weight yarn. There were some other goodies in my box as well. There was the cutest little pin, a yarn dot it was called, that says, "Shut up I'm counting!" and some awesome knitting ball knitting needle point protectors that made me laugh.

My secret scarf package!

Easy Drop Sticth scarf from my friend Beverly.

A Yarn Dot!

Point protectors that look like balls of yarn!

What a fun surprise to come home to!

Our last goodbye to what we know, 
We’ll pack our bags and hit the road…

The Rain, The Park, And Other Things

Flowers in her hair, 

Flowers everywhere… 

It’s amazing what a little rain can do out here in the dessert! It doesn’t mean we are out of the drought by any means. But it’s so nice to see green everywhere, and some colorful flowers, wild or not.

An oasis or a mirage? A secret spot at the ranch!

The duck found it!

Blooming cactus...or cactus blooming!

With temperatures already breaking into three digits, it won’t last unless it really rains. Not just a little either. We need a substantial rain.

http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_south.htm

Until then, enjoy some pictures of spring. After a little moisture, that is!

The Mesquite tree budding is the sign spring is really here.

Somewhere along the highway on the way to Austin.

Are they Poppies? I don't know.

This is what the flower looks like up close.

Yellow flowers on the highway.

Can you see the 'bug' on the flower? Don't know how I captured that!

Sunflower? Yellow Daisy? Black Eye Susan?

Another 'wild flower' or weed...depending on your perspective.

Trumpet vine on my deck. Blooming!

Bluebonnets on the highway by the house

We really think we 'planted' these Bluebonnets by the highway by the house. One year we spent a LOT of money on wildflower seeds. Those suckers are expensive! The front acres were plowed and the seeds were planted. It doesn't rain much out here but when it does? It's what they call a gully washer! That means it rains really fast filling up ditches and flooding the road and land. All of the sowed seeds washed down the road and into the bar ditch. Did anything come up at the house? Nope. But all down the road there were assorted new flowers. The Bluebonnets come out in a little patch about a half mile down the way. They are over a little bump so you have to know where to look. The patch has steadily expanded. Most of the others didn't last but the Bluebonnets return every year.

They bloom even in the dessert. With a little water!

State flower of Texas!

They are a lot prettier in the Hill Country at my friend Beverly's house!

Not my picture. Picture taken on Mach Rd, on the Bluebonnet Trail near Ennis, TX by David and Eileen Ng

Even the ordinary weeds are viewed as wild flowers out here

And all I had left was one little flower in my hand...

On the knitting front, I finished the Small Shawl. I think I keep calling it a Simple Shawl, but the pattern is really called Small Shawl. It is simple though! Just no-brainer garter stitch in a rayon boucle yarn, although any yarn will work. I think maybe I’ll start a crochet project next, just for something different.

I like this as a scarf.

Shawl draped. Looks light and lacy. Look here for other creative ideas!

I finished a book called ‘Thai Die’, by Monica Ferris. It’s part of a series with a a needlework shop owner, Betsy Devonshire, being the amateur sleuth who solves the crimes. In this story, one of the ‘Monday Bunch’ regulars has just returned from a trip to Thailand. She brings back souveniers and gifts for her friends. She’s also agreed to deliver a small statue of a Buddha to an antique store back home and shows the gang. This kind gesture leads to adventure, robbery, theft, a blizzard and a giant angora rabbit! It was entertaining with enough action to keep it interesting.

Thai Die. See what others are reading here.

I’m off to look through the yarn stash to find something bright and pretty. Maybe something that looks like flowers.

Wow! Where did all this come from? DFW Fiberfest!

This is cheerful!

From two if by hand at the DFW Fiber Festival.

I love the flower girl.

Was she reality or just a dream to me?

Dark Lady

The fortune queen of New Orleans 

Was brushing her cat in her black limousine… 

 I went to New Orleans once, in 2004, before the hurricane. I’m not sure I’d miss it if I never went back, but it is one of those things that I can cross off and say, been there done that.

We had a good time. Tried new food, saw some things that most likely won’t be seen again and absorbed the atmosphere. It was exciting, but in a dark, almost evil way. Not everything, of course, but when there is a warning not to go past a certain street, you do wonder.

I was there for a conference, and Alan came with me. We stayed in a hotel directly across from the convention center. I’ve looked at maps and I can’t tell if the hotel is there now. It was a tall building with a lot of glass, but I don’t remember which chain. I’ve stayed in so many hotels and cities in the past ten years they all sort of run together. Anyway, we were within walking distance of Bourbon Street and several other ‘must see’ attractions.

Being a Texan, I couldn’t help but compare Bourbon Street to Sixth Street in Austin, which I’ve visited many times. To me, Austin is a lot cleaner and it certainly didn’t smell as bad as Bourbon Street. As far as sights, it’s the same type places and people. Bums and street people, the sexually confused, and plain people (tourists) out for a good time walked the paths and filled the shops and businesses. Liquor flowed freely and people carried their beverages with them in the open air. That doesn’t happen in Austin, but the rest was quite similar.

A friend of mine had taken a historical walking tour of the area and as we walked around he told us the facts he remembered; where someone lived, what was haunted, who was killed there and other assorted tidbits of the area. We ate at a haunted restaurant but the ghost was apparently busy because none of us saw her that night.

One day Alan and I were walking across a market area when I made eye contact with a lady who read palms. I’ve always had a curiosity for such things, even though I’m not convinced there’s any truth to it. Also, I’m a little scared in case there is! We were talking about whether I should or shouldn’t do it and what the cost would be, etc. She knew what we were discussing and told us a price. I thought what the heck; I’d just see what she had to offer.

I have to say she did surprise me. She told me some things instead of suggesting things. I know a bit how this works, or at least how they told us it worked, from my psychology classes. The statements are usually about general personality traits, personal validation statements that give the impression they are specific to a single person but in reality could be applied to everyone. These generalizations are known as a “Barnum statement” after the circus showman P.T. Barnum. He argued that a good statement could be applied to about eight-five percent of the population.

What happens is the fortune-teller, or palm reader or whatever they may call themselves, will say something that’s ambiguous and even contradictory and the person hearing the statement rationalizes that it fits their personality. For instance, telling a person who has a wedding ring that their spouse is a very important part of their life, will most likely not prompt a denial. Often, after such a statement the listener provides information that can be used later in the conversation.

I let her touch my hand and she began. Instead of saying something like I feel there’s a child in your life, she said, you have a new grandson. Well, that kind of took me off guard because there was nothing that said we had a grandchild at all, much less a grandson. I acknowledged but I didn’t say anything. I wasn’t going to help her out. Next she told me I had been having some trials with the boss at work, but it would work out and I would outlast him. Well, maybe her cousin worked in the store where I asked if I could have a voodoo doll of my boss to poke when he was ugly and they talked so she knew. Well, probably not. And yes, I had discussed some issues with him before the trip. Also, he’s gone…I’m still there. By the way, voodoo is not a joking matter there.

She threw in that I was married to a good man. What could I say to that? He was right there and he was the one who gave her the money so she was impressed! Seriously, he is. But that to me is a Barnum statement. Anyway, there were a few more things, including some statements that were truths. She didn’t ask me anything. Of course there were several general statements thrown in. I was consciously not answering though, just acknowledging with a shake of the head, in order to not give her any information. All in all, though, it was a bit unnerving. There were some specific things she couldn’t have known.

I thanked her and we walked on across the square. Alan asked what she’d said and I told him some of it. I turned and she was watching me. We headed to our next destination and before we were out of sight I glanced back again. She was still watching. I got a chill.

Did she predict my future? I don’t think so. It was more like she told me what was happening at that time, or about things that were bothering me. She told me I’d have a long and happy life, probably her general closing statement. I wonder though, what she didn’t tell me.

Dark lady played black magic 

Til the clock struck on the twelve.

She told me more about me 

Than I knew myself...

When I was in Charleston, South Carolina last year, I had the chance to go to a local yarn shop. Instead of going to lunch at the meeting I just took off and found the yarn store that was in walking distance. It was called Knit, and was a nice little shop in a converted house. The store was very welcoming. There were places to sit and knit and yarn and sample items were artfully placed throughout. It was there I found my first Thomas Kvist yarn.

Knit in Charlotte, SC

Converted house.

Chair seat 'upholstered' in knitting.

Comfy place to knit.

The first place I found Thomas Kvist yarn.

Later I found Thomas Kvist yarn on Facebook, and ‘liked’ their page. They are based in Sweden. Thomas ran a contest in December and every day the ‘Christmas Moose’ asked a question. The answer was on their web page. I decided to enter.

Usually I’m not too lucky. But I won! Since the contest was every day in December, I asked if I could enter again. Thomas said I could enter every day if I liked. So I did. And guess what? I won about six times! Well, I was beginning to feel a little greedy after the third or so time so I shared the contest news with my LSSK friends. I think every one of them who entered also won.

Lin 1.0, Summer Breeze, Lambada, Oh Mercy Me, Colina

It takes a long time for things to get to Texas from Sweden, but I finally got my yarn! The package was in pretty rough shape but I checked with Thomas and nothing had fallen out. He was so generous! I got a lot of yarn. And as much as there is here, I’m waiting for just a little more! It was a fun contest and even more fun to get such a nice surprise. Thank you Thomas Kvist! 

What a haul! :)

Be sure to look at Our Creative Spaces to see all the great things people are creating this week! As for what I’ll make with my new yarn? I might have to go to New Orleans to find out!

Dark lady laughed and danced 

And lit the candles one by one… 

Danced to her gypsy music 

Til her brew was done.